Don't mind me, I'm a little woozy.

So I have had a busy two days. Yesterday I tore myself away from my vampire books and went to the GI doctor. This is the appointment I have been waiting for since February. I go in, we talk about celiac disease and I tell him I'm on a gluten free diet so I understand that in order to get an accurate result of a biopsy I need to go back on gluten. He asks me when I went off gluten, and I told him about 2 or two and a half months ago. He tells me "alright, lets do this tomorrow." TOMORROW. As in, TODAY. More funny things happened in that appointment but they're too embarrassing for the internet. Lets just say my face was SO red that his student Dr couldn't look at me and he even got a little embarrassed.

So this morning at 7am, I went to the hospital for an endoscopy. I didn't really think it was a big deal, and I really didn't expect it to be as hospital-y as it was. I did, however, expect it to be terrible. I went into a big room with a bunch of beds, was ordered to strip (but I was allowed to keep my socks, how kind of them), put on the backless gown, and put my things in a locker. I kind of felt like I was going into a gas chamber, but I begrudgingly obeyed. Then a nurse came over, told me what was going to happen as another nurse was putting in an IV. I really didn't think I was going to get an IV. I knew I would be sedated, but I thought there would be gas or something. Anyway it was really hard to concentrate on the talking nurse while the needle nurse was searching for a vein. Eventually I got wheeled into the procedure room, saw the doctor, had to sign consent forms with an IV, the nurse sprayed my throat with local anesthetic, and then she injected the medicine. It wasn't general anesthetic, but just sedation. From that point I don't really remember much. The nurse said I would feel the stretcher go down my throat (that goes down before to make room for the camera) and gag, and then they would tell me to swallow, but I really don't remember a thing. I heard them call my name a few times, but I don't know whether it was telling me to swallow, or if they were saying "all finished"... I seem to remember that. Anyway I woke up in the recovery area when the doctor came back to do something terrible and I don't want to talk about it, but luckily I don't remember that either. I remember saying "at least you're wearing purple gloves" and him laughing. Enough about that (though that has to do with the embarrassing things that happened at the appointment yesterday). I woke up a little later, had some apple juice and gluten free cookies, slept a little more, tore out the breathing nose thing, slept, woke up, got dressed, and that was that. I honestly have no recollection of the procedures at all. Yay!

After I saw mum in the waiting room, the Dr. called me back to discuss his findings. He said that even though the biopsies have to be sent for official testing, he could without a doubt say that I have celiac. My intestine is slightly damaged, which is good because it shows a positive result, but also because it means the gluten free diet is working. Horray! Done! Not even close to as terrible!! But more hospital-y. Oh well. Anyway I'm woozy, and am legally impaired until 7am tomorrow, and then I'm off to Maui!

I am officially a teenager

I realize that I'm 24 years old, but trust me, after this post, you'll all be thinking "OMG Heather is like, totally a teenager".

I LOVE the "Twilight" series of books.

I didn't even know what they were last Thursday. I worked with a flight attendant who couldn't put down the second one, and I asked her what they were. She sheepishly said "Umm, well, they're teenager books about vampires" to which I replied "give me one."

Our next stop was Edmonton, where they have an Indigo in the airport. She ran off the plane, bought the first one for me, the third one for her (since she was almost done the second one), and the two of us read every second we could for the rest of our pairing. I finished it by Saturday and she lent me the second one to take home with me. I finished that one in two days. I was pretty bummed that I didn't have the third one, and when I got home yesterday from a pairing, Matt had bought it for me! A big step, since when I came home from the first pairing talking about my new vampire books, he reminded me that his 11 year old brother reads them too.

These aren't small books either. They're easily over 500 pages each, but they're easy reading. I figured they'd just be whatever, nothing crazy, but I REALLY liked them. I cried several times in the second one. CRIED! It's crazy. I'm not going to pretend they're going to change the world, but for a light read, they're awesome. I guess Stephanie Meyer, the author, had a dream about one of the scenes in the first book, and they all stemmed from there.

Best news? The movie of the first book comes out THIS WEEK. So the flight attendant who introduced me to them and I are going on Friday, just because we can. We'll probably be the only ones there without a chaperone. Go ahead a laugh, but once you read one, you'll love them too.

It's Wednesday

I hope everyone had a nice remembrance day. I went to the hockey game against the leafs last night and there was a nice little ceremony there before the game started. It was a fairly boring game, but the flames won so that felt nice. I went with five people who were in leafs jerseys so I was happy to win.

Maui was great. I won't get into details since I'm sure no one wants to hear them, but running on the beach watching the sunrise, yoga on the beach, beach relaxing and fresh pineapple were among the highlights. I got a little bit of a sunburn on my feet/ankles where I missed reapplying sunscreen but other than that I did ok.

Yesterday I had my first shift at the tech shop. I had a great time! It's a super relaxed atmosphere and they people seem nice so far so I'm happy. I have tonnes to learn still, since I got through maybe five of the bazillion shoes on the wall, but the workers and nice and helpful and I'm happy. I go back today so hopefully it goes as well.

Yesterday a 19 year old girl got kidnapped at gunpoint while she was getting into her car at a strip mall in Calgary. The guy she was with was forced to the back seat, and the kidnapper drove around for four hours, stopping periodically to sexually assault the girl while the guy sat and watched helplessly. That's pretty close to my worst nightmare and it's very scary that it happened in the middle of the day. I tend to be on the paranoid side when it comes to attackers, but mostly at night. Now I'll have to up the paranoid level in the day. When I heard the story on the morning news I dropped my mouth open in shock and teared up quite a bit. I couldn't even imagine what that would be like for her or the guy she was with. Terrifying. Anyway I hope they find who did it and he gets the help he needs, because the only way I could think someone could do that would be if they have some mental and psychological problems. If he doesn't, well I hope he goes to jail for a long time. Anyway I guess we all need to be a little more aware when we're getting into our cars.


In the states (or at least Maui), Starbucks has their Christmas cups out already, but here we don't! Should be happening soon, no?

I didn't see President elect Obama in Hawaii. (What's with the President elect business? Isn't it just President Obama?) I thought I might see him when he went to his Grandmother's funeral in Hawaii, but I think she was in Waikiki or somewhere other than Maui. I have to admit I'm excited for what's to come for the good ole U S of A. I found out on the plane on the way to Maui and I got shivers! Yay Obama!

Have a good day!

Muffins, Maui and More

I made some more muffins today. Raspberry, oats and vanilla yogurt. They are special gluten free oats that I ordered from a farm in Saskatchewan. I hope they're good!

Tomorrow I'm flying to Maui with work, and I get back on Thursday, then leave on Friday to do the exact same thing. The flights are red eyes, so I think I'll be tired by the time I get back on Sunday. Speaking of Sunday, when I arrive, I have to rush down to the Talisman Centre and hopefully make it to my field hockey game. Yesterday's double header was especially rough and I got a little bit pummeled. Today both ankles, one knee and one hip are REALLY hurting. It's a rough sport I tells ya.

Kristen made me some gluten free brownies when I was in Ottawa, but I didn't get to taste them. Because of this and that we didn't make it to their place and I was tired. She tried hard and made them from scratch, and hopefully she and Jordan enjoyed them! Thank you and next time I will taste them.

I got a second job at the Tech Shop today. I think I'll start next week. I'm pretty excited to get doing something else and learn a bunch more about running gear. I think I'll have a good time. I've been avoiding a second job like the plague since my experience at the coffee shop wasn't great near the end, but this I think will be a new challenge. I'm really looking forward to it. And the pay is great, so that's a bonus. I'm needing cash lately so this will help.

I like all the posts about the 100 omnivore's list. It's fun to go through and see what you've eaten. You should check them out. It really makes me think about all the food that I might never be able to try because of the celiac. I love food and trying new things, so I have to admit it makes me a little sad, but some of the greatest food I've ever had is gluten free, so I think I'll manage.

Here's to hoping I don't get a sun burn!